In 2011, the number of Internet users in China soared to 513 million, half of which are using micro-blogging services, according to a new report from the government-run China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC).

In December, the number of Internet users in the country increased by 12 percent, compared to the same time frame in 2010, the Associated Press said, according to CNNIC's report.

CNNIC found that micro-blogging, known as "Weibo" in China, quadrupled to nearly 250 million users in 2011. Chinese Internet companies Sina Corp and Tencent Holdings both host popular Weibo platforms in China, and Twitter, the world's largest micro-blogging service, remains blocked in the communist country.

China's Internet is closely monitored, and the communication and dissemination of information that happened in 140-character form last year caught the scrutiny of the so-called "Great Firewall of China." In August, discussions about the health of former Chinese president Jiang Zemin as well as talk about the government's mishandling of a high-speed train crash caused Beijing to tighten its grip around Weibo.

Commmunist Party secretary Liu Qi paid a personal visit to Sina's offices and told the company that it must "resolutely put an end to fake and misleading information" and better manage users on its micro-blogging platform.

However, what the Communist Party deems "rumor" could be considered "free speech" in other countries.

Tencent was also warned by an official that it must exercise "greater self discipline" to promote "social harmony" online.

As these services grow, they will likely invite further monitoring from the government. The AP pointed out that micro-blogging was instrumental in indentifying protests about a chemical plant in the northern City of Dalian and corruption in the southern town of Wukan, and prompted authorities to report with greater accuracy the state of air pollution in Beijing.

About the Author

Leslie Horn joined the PCMag team as a news reporter in the fall of 2010. She covered a wide range of topics, from digital media to the latest Apple rumor. After graduating with a degree in Magazine Journalism from the University of Missouri, she wrote for Out & About, a travel guide in coastal Maine. One of her favorite reporting experiences was c... See Full Bio

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